Mahariel's nightmare
by Jerman Valeska
Summary: Lyrena Mahariel and her companions are trapped in the fade, she could not get out of her dream on her own, she didn't know if she wanted to. Here, she was happy...


Leliana was in a forest, it is the brecilian forest. It is so beautiful, no wonder the dalish had prefered to camp here than the other not so nice places in Ferelden. She sees the camp not so far away.

This is not going to be easy to get in

considering how the elves are so hostile towards outsiders. Even if they are demons in disguise.

She then had an idea. She could climb the trees or hide in the bushes to sneak into camp to rescue Lyrena. That's not going to be easy.

Leliana decided to choose the bushes. It was too risky to use the trees. Even if the fade's laws of physics are different to the real world. She doesn't want to fall off the island and into the void below.

Into the black city

She shuddered with that thought.

Then she thought.

What if Lyrena won't recognize me?

Wouldn't this dream, this memory would be the time before she is taken to become a grey warden?

Leliana would have to risk it regardless. She was not going to leave her friend behind.

It took so much effort to make her trust me. That I was more than she thought I was. It is understandable, given how Lyrena was raised to believe all of mankind, the chantry also. Was evil.

They are evil in the elve's eyes. Especially Lyrena's.

Leliana had broken Lyrena's shell of distrust when she wanted to get to know her not as a grey warden, but her as a person. And when she talked about her life before Lothering.

That's how she knew about what happened to Lyrena's parents.

How she blames the three men at the forest Lyrena and Tamlen killed that sent them to their fates.

She cannot blame her for her anger and grief.

But that doesn't mean this will be easy.

She has to get through to her somehow, but how can she do that if she is the most happy where she is?

If she was in her shoes, she would do anything in her power to not leave.

"Intruder!"

Leliana froze in place when she sees an arrow pointed at her face.

Leliana stared up at the face of a young man with blonde hair, with vallasin on each side of his mouth and forehead.

"You trying to steal from our camp Shem?" He hisses

Leliana had no clue what to say to that. What's she supposed to say?

Oh hi, I'm just here to take Lyrena and kill you because you know, demons and all.

"Uhh, no?"

"No?"

That voice wasn't from him.

It sounded old, kind but cautious.

"Then why are you here?"

The man turns to the elven mage. That must be the keeper, but I don't remember the name. Come on think Leliana think!

"Does it matter Marethari? She is a thief, she has come too close to our border. Either you leave Shem or taste my arrow!"

"Tamlen!"

Now that is a voice I know. She thought with relief

Tamlen turned his head to a young woman with short dark brown hair and sliver eyes. With Vallasin on her forehead and bottom mouth.

"Tamlen I just got a deer today and I thought we woul-"

Lyrena stopped when she looked at me.

"Tamlen? Keeper? Who is she?"

"I'll explain it to you Lethalan" Tamlen said angrily

"This Shem thought she could sneak into camp and steal whatever!"

Lyrena looked at me with a scowl

"Well looks like that plan failed didn't it?"

Leliana needed to say something, right now

"Lyrena don't you recognize me?"

The three faces before her turned to shock. Lyrena's was the most priceless.

"How do you know my name?"

"We… were in a tower"

Lyrena frowned "why were we in a tower?"

"Lethalan, don't listen to her, she's talking Fenedhis"

"There were demons! And we fell into a trap, we're in the fade!"

Lyrena struggled to process her words

"N-no… that's not possible… there was no tower! This is real! This is my life! My home! Always was, always will be!"

"Dahlin, why don't you sit down at the fire? We will deal with this issue."

Lyrena looked at Leliana once more. Leliana could see recognition in her eyes. That's when Leliana knew that Lyrena knew she was telling the truth. She is aware, she just doesn't want to leave. She's just in denial Leliana thought with great sadness.

"Lyrena please! You know this isn't real! I know how much you missed this! You think your the only one who's lost everything? I never knew my mother or Marjolaine. I never knew my father either!"

"That's enough Shem! Leave or face the consequences!" Tamlen shouted

"I don't know what your trying to play at… but it'd be wise to choose the former" Marethari said coldly

Lyrena stared at me with tears in her eyes

"I just want my old life back… this may not be real… but it's a nice dream… There's nothing left for me in the real world Leliana… why should I owe anything to a world cruel enough to take my clan from me?" She choked

Leliana had to keep herself from lunging at Lyrena in a crushing hug, but she used that compassion in her next words

"Because you can't let Tamlen's death be in vain… This is him isn't it?"

Tamlen stared at her with his eyebrow raised

"Dead? What do you mean I'm dead I'm right here!"

Lyrena's tears were now flowing

"You know this isn't really him, the real Tamlen and your clan would be disappointed that you given up so quickly"

Lyrena tried to say something but couldn't

"I…"

Leliana looked into her silver glowing eyes with sympathy

"I'm sorry Lyrena, but you know I'm right… this has to be done for both our sakes…"

Lyrena nodded frantically and turned to Tamlen

"What is she talking about Lethalan?"

"Vhenan… you love me don't you?"

Tamlen looked from both Leliana and Lyrena and sighed

"Lyrena you know I do… I loved you since when we were children"

Lyrena suddenly kissed him and hugged him tightly not letting go

"Mmm hmph!" Tamlen hummed in confusion

The keeper was staring at us with suspicion. The demon knew that they were losing control over her

Lyrena then stopped and looked at him in the eyes

"Ar lath ma vhenan…"

Tamlen smiled. With beautiful teeth. "I love you too"

But his smile didn't reach his blue eyes.

Blood was suddenly spilled from Tamlen's throat

The keeper drew her staff at Lyrena

"Your not going anywhere my pet slave, your mine forever!"

The keeper didn't had time to process her spell because Leliana stabbed her through the heart

Then they had to fight the whole clan that turned against them. All of them shouting elven curses at them. But most of them at Lyrena, the more insults thrown, the more she struggled to fight.

"Ir abelas!" Lyrena cried as she stabbed her step mother through the back

"Dread Wolf curse you to his realm Lyrena… We should of left you to die as an infant if we had known you'd turn into a murderous traitor kinslayer" Ashalle snarled

A sob escaped Lyrena and she couldn't fight anymore.

"I can't do this…" she curled into a ball hiding from all the blood shed.

"Lyrena get up please!"

But she knew that this fight was almost finished so she shot an arrow at each of their heads accurately which saves time.

"You will not take her from us! She belongs to her people!" Another keeper with dark hair and green eyes said before she was shot in the head

"I thought you were my friend Lyrena but you took another from me! How could you do this? And to our keeper!?!?!" Another dalish Leliana did not knew of but shot him regardless

"Our own has betrayed us, I never thought I see the day where I'll have to kill one that we had raised to protect our clan from" An old elf said before shot through the heart

Lyrena seemed to sob even louder the more her guilt increased in size. Leliana dispatched them all before it breaks her entirely.

"IR ABELAS!" She cried her form rocking back and forth.

Leliana moved to her, wrapping her arms around her shaking form.

But before she could. Lights were flashing around Lyrena and disappeared before her very eyes


End file.
